1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally concerned with attaching a scaffolding bracket to a frame member of any kind, more often than not in practice a rafter.
It is more particularly directed to the case where, for the purposes of such attachment, use is made of two flanges adapted to be disposed one on each side of the frame member concerned, fixing means adapted to fasten said flanges to the frame member and attachment means associated with said flanges adapted to enable a scaffolding bracket to be coupled to them.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a presently known device of this type, the fixing means employed to fasten flanges of this kind to a rafter comprise a plurality of clamping spindle members of the nut-and-bolt type, two in number in practice, and attachment means associated with said flanges to enable a scaffolding bracket to be coupled to them employ two pegs independently fastened to respective flanges on a part of the latter transversely offset for this purpose relative to its main part.
A device of this kind has various disadvantages.
Firstly, the multiplicity of clamping spindle members to be employed requires that the same number of holes be bored in the frame member to be equipped, to the detriment of its integrity and prejudicial in terms of the number of operations to be executed when fitting the flanges concerned and when removing them.
Also, in spite of their number, the clamping spindle members thus employed, which in practice merely apply the flanges between them against the frame member, may prove insufficient for it to be certain that all aspects of applicable safety standards can be adhered to, in certain countries at least.
Finally, the attachment pegs project cantilever fashion independently from the flange to which they are fitted and it is not uncommon to find these deforming under load, unless the thickness of the flanges is made prohibitive.
A general object of the present invention is an arrangement which, adapted to attach a scaffolding bracket to a frame member of any kind, in practice a rafter, is advantageously free of these disadvantages and further confers other advantages.